


And the Lash

by Muccamukk



Category: Hornblower (TV)
Genre: Backstory, Canon-Typical Violence, Discipline, Drabble Sequence, Gen, Military Training, Minor Character Death, Somewhat Grim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-12 07:12:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17462978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Muccamukk/pseuds/Muccamukk
Summary: William grew up in the Royal Navy; this is what he learned.





	And the Lash

**Author's Note:**

> Written for more joy day for PenlessJ's prompt: "you shall come to know the ship like the back of your hand, or you shall come to know the back of mine."
> 
> Contains corporeal punishment including of minors and serious injuries.

Willie's thirteen the first time the bosun takes a cane to his backside. He tells himself he won't cry out, but of course he does, even though it's just a half dozen.

"You'll know better next time, now won't you, lad?" the bosun says, his voice low and fatherly. It's not a flogging ship, but the officers don't spare the rod, either.

Willie can only nod and blink back tears. He won't forget: not to never leave a knot untied and unchecked, not the pain, and not how the beating sunk the lesson in for the rest of his life.

* * *

It's not that Midshipman Billings is the Captain's pet, only he's the captain's wife's nephew, and she would carry on so if harm came to the boy. So the word goes among the lieutenants.

If the other mids get Billings' work, and his gun crew is the slowest to reload, there's little the most junior of lieutenants can do but keep his head down and mind his duty.

An improperly secured eighteen pounder bucks off its carriage and takes Billings' legs off in less time than it takes to turn around.

William holds the boy's hand until the surgeon comes.

* * *

Hornblower and Kennedy see Wellard and Styles beaten brutally, without cause or justice. Buckland sees whatever someone tells him to. Bush has spent his career staring down death, and he sees now that it wears his captain's face like a mask. It comes to him in a flash, a vision almost, when Sawyer meets Bush's eye and tells him he doesn't understand these poisonous young officers.

Bush possesses enough sailor's superstition to put death omens away from him, and enough of an officer's sense to know this voyage will kill them all.

In the end, mutiny comes easily to Bush.

* * *

"That'll do, if you want to slaughter your gun crew," Mr. Bush tells Hammond. He put Matthews to some task in the cable tiers, and near muzzled Orrock. With no help, Hammond again showed his colours, damned muddy ones. "Or was that what you were attempting, Mr. Hammond?"

"No, sir. Sorry, sir."

The boy is always sorry. It never makes a difference.

"You'll do it again," Mr. Bush snaps, "And you'll damn well keep doing it until I'm satisfied you're not a danger to this ship."

It does take all night, and bloodies Hammond's hands, but it will do, barely.


End file.
